Tourism dept reaches out to stranded foreigners

Two teams from the tourism
department paid visit and took stock of stranded foreign tourists in South Goa
on Sunday and Monday and also reassured them over efforts being made to send
them back to their native countries.
As an effort from the department to ensure foreigners do not face any
difficulties in the state during the lockdown period, three teams in North Goa
and two teams in South Goa visited and met foreigners currently staying in
hotels and guest houses. They took down information of the tourists and asked
them of any issues they were facing.
Among the many issues raised by the stranded tourists, availability of food,
medicines were the main ones, except for a few stray incidents. A food helpline
and email address to convey their concerns were also shared with the tourists.
Some tourists, who are currently stranded in guest houses and hotels along the
South Goa coastal belt between Betalbatim and Agonda, said they were concerned
as guest house and hotel owners were charging them even though their period of
stay was over and that they were stranded in Goa only because of the lockdown.
The department has begun to send SMSes to owners of the guest houses and hotels
not to charge the stranded tourists and warning them of cancellation of their
registration.
Stranded tourists are now hoping to return to their home countries as soon as
possible and have been told that arrangements are being done. On Tuesday
morning, relief flights departed from Goa airport carrying German, European and
Russian tourists. Similar relief flights are expected to be arranged in the
weeks to come as well.